


Unpredictable Consequences

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-31
Updated: 2005-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 22:19:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11838150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	Unpredictable Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

Unpredictable Consequences by RSSacchi

  
  
  


_Unpredictable Consequences_

By RSS 

* * *

Amanda and Nick arrive at the opera house. They are guarding Russian billionaire Aleksei Popkov and his wife, Katia. Nick is obviously a bodyguard. Amanda has on a long black wig, which covers her ears and earpiece and wears a blue scarf, which covers her microphone. As they enter the opera house they feel the sensation of another Immortal. Amanda turns to Aleksei and says, loud enough for Nick to hear, "A lot of old friends of mine go to the opera often. Most of them are very nice people." 

A confused looking Aleksei unemotionally replies, "I'm sure they are." 

Amanda hopes it reassures Nick. He has to learn the appearance of another Immortal doesn't always mean a crime is imminent. 

* * *

The Popkovs sit between Amanda and Nick. Amanda hears Roland Dorance's voice in her earpiece. 

"A woman dressed in a pants suit is walking down the corridor. She's stepping into the powder room." 

The opera reminds Amanda of when she attended the premier of _Rigoletto_ in Venice on March 11, 1851. Then it was called _La Maledizione._ A voice in her earpiece interrupts her daydreaming. 

"I need help in the mezzanine! Get an ambulance!" 

Amanda and Nick hustle the couple out of their seats and to the rear exit. Other security guards are bringing a limousine to the front door as a decoy. Amanda and Nick put the couple in an SUV and put other security people in charge of them. The SUV drives off and Amanda and Nick rush to the mezzanine to find a handcuffed man lying face down on the floor, two of Nick's men holding him. Roland Dorance is holding the Immortal Janet Hilliard. She looks pale and lethargic. Her next death is imminent. Janet's face turns to terror as her eyes meet Amanda's and seconds later she dies. 

A distraught Roland turns to Nick. "She put herself between me and the killer." 

Amanda hears one of the theater employees remark to a police officer, "She worked here as an usher." 

* * *

The police take the prisoner out of the building, Nick and Amanda following. A shot rings out and everyone drops to the ground or runs for cover. The prisoner is dead. The police and security guards scour the area but can't find the sniper. 

"That Immortal, is she anyone you know?" 

"I just met her once." 

"Is it possible she has anything to do with this?" 

"I don't know. I just met her once." 

"Let's get her out of the morgue." 

They drive to the morgue as Amanda's mind drifts back to when she met Janet. 

* * *

**ENGLAND, 1727**

Amanda is fighting with Janet Hilliard in a meadow; to an observer it would look strange, two women in dresses fighting with ancient swords. After almost 900 years these Immortal challenges have become as natural as stealing to Amanda. She will either take Janet's head or lose hers in the process. Janet is fast and wily, having almost taken Amanda's head twice. They lock swords and Amanda pushes Janet back. Amanda swings hard and sends Janet's sword flying. Janet closes her eyes. Amanda feels the rush of another Immortal. It's a finely dressed man on a white horse. 

"Whoever you are, you have no right to interfere." 

"I am Joaquin Garcia Gonzalo Guerrero y Alexandri. The rules prevent me from interfering, however -" Joaquin takes out a purse and pours the gold coins into his hand. He pours the gold coins back into his purse. "This is yours should you spare her head." 

"Who is she to you?" 

"A beautiful woman, as are you." 

Amanda nods her head and pushes Janet towards Joaquin. He throws his purse to Amanda, stretches out his hand to Janet. She takes his hand and he pulls her onto his horse and they ride away. 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

Amanda and Nick are in the morgue. They slide out Janet's slab and roll back the sheet. Moments later Janet takes a deep breath. Janet she tries to scream but Amanda puts her hand over Janet's mouth. 

"We have not come for your head." 

"We got some clothes for you." Nick puts a bag of clothes next to Janet then turns his back. 

Amanda takes her hand from Janet's mouth. "He turns around without prompting. You found yourself a gentleman." 

Nick smiles. 

"Now you've done it. There will be no living with him now." 

Janet puts on the ankle length dress and clogs they brought her. 

* * *

Janet is in Amanda's suite. 

"You were working as an usher. That's an odd job for an Immortal." Nick is unusually tactful in his questioning. 

"I had a couple of unlucky lifetimes. I think what happened last night attests to that." 

"Yeah, what were you doing back there anyway?" 

"I went to the ladies' room. When a girl's got to go..." 

"The assassin, did you ever see him before?" 

"No." 

"How did you know which one was the bad guy?" 

"I passed the security guard in the hallway before I went in." 

"Did you think maybe it was a bad guy pretending to be a security guard?" 

"No, I guess I won't be a very good cop." 

Nick cracks a smile. 

* * *

Amanda steps into Nick's office where he is looking at surveillance tapes. 

"Find out anything?" 

"Yeah, the guy we caught." 

"The one that got whacked outside the opera house?" 

"Yeah, he was Alain Dorme, a local small time hood." 

"This seems a bit upscale for him." 

"Yeah, it is." The phone rings and Nick picks it up. "Nick here. Yeah." Nick types on his computer keyboard. "I got him up now. Yeah, OK Bert." Nick hangs up the phone. 

"A break?" 

"I think so. Take a look." Nick swerves his monitor towards Amanda. There's a picture of a man who looks in his mid-30s. "Look familiar?" 

"Never seen him before." 

"Kirill Vorozheikin, he was a sniper in the Soviet Army. After the USSR became the CIS, he joined the Russian mafia. He's suspected in six assassinations in Russia, two in the Ukraine, and there's a rumor he made a hit in the United States." 

"Sound's like he's the guy they call when they absolutely, positively, need somebody dead." 

"Yeah." 

"If he's an Immortal -" 

"It's hard to say. Distance, Janet was in the area." 

"He used Dorme as a decoy. At the first sign of trouble we would have gotten the Popkov's out of there." 

"Right into his gun sight." 

"Could he be using Janet the same way?" 

"I really don't think so. Three centuries ago maybe, but I just can't picture the woman in the other room going along with this." 

"I don't think so either. She gave all the right answers when I questioned her." 

* * *

Janet and Amanda sit by the empty bar. "Amanda, this is twice you had a chance at me." 

"Well, the first time I was paid. This time I couldn't remember what our fight was about." 

"Why don't I believe you? I remember very well. It was stupid, and it was my fault." 

* * *

Amanda, Nick and other bodyguards are checking out a building adjacent to the Cultural Center where there will be a conference Aleksei Popkov will attend. Nick figures this building would be the most likely spot for a sniper to hide. It has a number of escape routes and has a clear shot at the rear entrance. 

Popkov is due to arrive in a few minutes. Amanda hears Bert, who is checking out the front of a Cultural Center, over the radio. 

"Sniper on the roof!" 

"Everyone at station 2 keep looking. Your people at station 1 can handle it, right?" Nick says. 

"Sure," Bert responds. 

Amanda continues searching as a few tense moments pass. 

"It's just a pole," Bert reports. 

The tension grows. Kirill, or another assassin, is no doubt in this building. Popkov will arrive in seconds. 

* * *

Amanda comes to life, lying on the floor. There are excited voices in her earpiece. 

"What about Amanda?" 

"Don't worry about her! Check the east staircase." 

"I'm fine, a girl can't go to the powder room." 

She hears a man running and comes face to face with Kirill. He stops in his tracks and looks surprised to see her. Amanda gives him a snap kick to the jaw and follows up with a spin kick to the side of his head, knocking out Kirill. 

"I got him! It's Kirill. He's down for the count." 

* * *

Amanda, Nick, and Janet are in Amanda's suite as Nick explains the afternoon's events. "Kirill must have figured we would see the pole and think it's a rifle. Then we would take Popkov in the back way." 

"Right into his gun sight." 

"That right Amanda, Popkov doesn't let anything keep him from an appointment. Kirill apparently killed you so we would all run to your belated rescue." 

"When that didn't work he doubled back not expecting me to be alive and kicking." 

Janet smiles. "Immortality does have its advantages. It's lucky for you the only witness is a notorious killer." 

"You know Janet, there is a way you could stay in the area. You could also do somebody a good turn." 

"Sounds interesting." 

"I think a number 619 might be appropriate." 

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Janet walks into Nick's office wearing a black dress. Roland Dorance is in the office with Nick and Amanda. 

"Hello, Ms. Hilliard. You've met Amanda Montrose; this is Roland Dorance. Ronald, this is Helen Hilliard." 

"Mr. Dorance, I'm glad to meet you. Nick told me you were with my sister Janet when she died." 

"If I could trade places with her -" 

"Don't feel that way. She had an inoperable tumor and less than six month's to live. She felt her life was meaningless. At least her death has meaning." 

"Thank you, you're very kind. I am very sorry about your sister." 

"I appreciate that. I like to think a part of her is in me." 

THE END 

* * *

© 2005   
Please send comments to the author! 

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